Zeta Vortex: Innocence and Butterflies
by LA Knight
Summary: Kurama has a mate? What will this mean to the five people who love him: Botan, Karasu, Hiei, Juri, and Touya! Relegated to the Zeta Vortex of Abandoned Fics
1. Malina

                                    Innocence and Butterflies

                                                Short Intro: What the Hell is She?!

            "Kurama, wait, I was just kidding! I wouldn't have really pushed it! Don't you believe in mercy?" The red-haired kitsune turned to his opponent and smiled.

            "No." Whether he didn't hear the screams or ignored them, neither of the other guys could tell. When he sat down, a violet fox- a _violet_ fox!- jumped up and curled up in his lap.

            "What the heck is that?" Kuwahara cried, nearly falling over. Kurama stroked the fox with gentle, loving fingers.

            "She is kitsune, like me, but also half-shifter. You know, Malina, I do prefer you in demon form." The fox disappeared, and in its place was a silver haired young woman, in black pants and a pale lavender tunic with silver embroidery. Her eyes were pale lavender, and her lashes were long, black, and thick. Her lips were full, and soft looking. She appeared tall, though it was hard to judge since she was sitting in Kurama's lap, and seemed slender, but strong. Kurama reached up and stroked the silky fox ears on the top of her head. Malina's eyes drifted close. She shook herself.

            "Hey, no fair! I don't get to do that to you anymore, since you were dumb enough to get hurt and stuck as a human, so you can't do it to me. Nah!" She stuck out her tongue at him, then her expression turned sad. "How long will it take you to heal?"

            "Not long. Malina, don't look at me like that. It wasn't that bad." The fox murmured to her.

            "Who the hell are you?" Yusuke cried. "_What _the hell are you?"

            "This is my mate, Malina." 


	2. Author's Note

Author's Note

Guys! My school week womps! I need reviews, to keep my morale up. Please, review! I need imput, compliments, pointers, anything! Please. Thanks!


	3. Old Flame

Chapter Two: Old Flame 

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize, okay?

Warning: interesting plot twist. Who says everyone has to love Kurama?

            The vixen was walking through the wood, thinking about things. Just then, Malina's ears twitched, and she heard familiar footsteps approaching. He wasn't trying to hide his presence, she noticed. Maybe he didn't plan to kill her. "Hello, Malina." The silver haired young woman stopped walking, but didn't turn around. "You're still as beautiful as ever." She smiled sadly.

            "Why are you here, old friend?"

            "Friend, now, am I? What about lover? That's what you used to call me, remember?"

            "Yes," she whispered sadly, "yes, I remember." A gentle hand caressed her cheek, but she stepped away. "Don't. Kurama wouldn't like it."

            "I'm going to kill him eventually, Malina, why do you stay with him?"

            "Answer my first question." She demanded. "Why are you here?"

            "I'm in the Dark Tournament."

            "How do you know you'll get to his team? You're not fighting him for a while yet. You may be defeated before hand." The demon behind her was trying to ignore the demands his body was making, was trying to focus on what Malina was saying to him. "Well?"

            "I will defeat him, Malina. Be sure of it."

            "You wouldn't kill him."

            "Why not?"

            "You're my friend-"

            "He stole you from me." Malina sighed. There was no arguing with him. "You're right. There is no arguing with me. You know you still want me, Malina."

            "Even if I did, it wouldn't matter."

            "Wouldn't it?" He whispered in her ear. "Can you honestly say that?" He wrapped his arms around her. "It wouldn't matter, Malina?" He turned her face to him and kissed her gently. Then, he was gone. Malina was alone, her lips buzzing with the feeling of that kiss. She looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen.

            "Karasu!"


	4. Ice and Roses

Chapter Three: Ice and Roses  
  
"Touya, why are you here?"  
  
"I'm in the Dark Tournament."  
  
"No, Touya, I mean in my room."  
  
"Because my room blows, if you catch my drift." The glacial light green eyes flicked below Kurama's waist, then back to his face. The Ice Master shrugged. Kurama murmured, "Touya-"  
  
"What does she have that I don't?" The slender hand passed over the beautiful face, and Touya's heart clenched with longing. "Well? Is she better looking, is that it?" Kurama's eyes were reproachful, and he whispered, "Touya... do you think me so shallow?"  
  
"Youko-"  
  
"Malina is my mate, Touya, has been for a long time, and I love her. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but-"  
  
"Youko, she doesn't love you. She's probably all hung up over Karasu, still! Youko..."  
  
"Touya, please, don't do this. You know how I feel about Malina." But that was a lie, wasn't it? He didn't love Malina, not really, he just cared about her more than others, but he didn't love Touya either, they'd agreed it was just for physical relief, so why couldn't Touya leave him be?  
  
"Youko, why did you leave me?"  
  
"Touya, what we had, it... it didn't mean anything." Which, Kurama realized, wasn't true. He had feelings for Touya, but he didn't love the Ice Master, not really... "It didn't mean anything."  
  
"No. It just means you'd rather be with her because she's a kitsune, than be with me." Kurama's heart felt like it would almost break. Almost. 


	5. Ice, Wind, and Earth

Chapter Three: Earth, Wind, and Ice  
  
"So, Touya... what did he say?" Jin asked quietly. The Ice Master didn't respond, merely continued to cry. Jin's pointy ears drooped with sadness for the one he loved. "Oh, come on, Touya, s'not so bad, really. The bastard didn't deserve you, anyway, come on, don't cry. Please, don't." The small demon's hand rubbed his friend's back soothingly, so that soon his crying ceased. "Here," Jin said kindly, and handed Touya a mug of Irish coffee. (For those who don't know, Irish coffee is laced with alcohol. Three average sized mugs of the stuff will knock an average teenager into slight, if not average, drunkeness.) Touya took a slight sip, grimaced.  
  
"What's in this stuff?"  
  
"Gin, scotch, brandy, and a slight dash of vodka."  
  
"Oh." The ice demon downed the first cup. "Can I have some more?"  
  
"'Course." Touya sipped at the second cup and eyed Jin. "You know, Touya, I'm here for ya if ya need me."  
  
"I know." For some reason, that made him want to cry again. The master, exhausted from crying and slightly drunk after a fourth mug of laced coffee, was patiently led to his room and set down on his bed. He was asleep before his head it the pillow.  
  
"Oh, Touya. If only you knew how much you mean to me..." From the doorway, unknown, Risho watched his oblivious friend and the one he loved.  
  
Lot's of different pairs, here, hmm... it gets rather confusing unless you pay strict attention. Anyway, the chapters will be short, and they'll alternate main characters, but the plot will unfold, and histories will be revealed. So, read and review, please. And, no, not everyone is in love with Kurama or Malina, although the people who do love them are entangled in webs of love, lust, and lies... I don't know where that line came from, but it's pretty much true. 


	6. ch4

Chapter Four: Dark Romancing and Betrayal  
  
"Karasu, you're hurt. How did you manage that?"  
"Malina, my sweet, how lovely to see you." The dark-haired demon smiled, and the she-kitsune shivered. Without his mask, Karasu was beautiful in a purely masculine way. The smile quirked his full, blood red lips, revealing tiny fangs. His dark eyes danced with excitement as he looked Malina over. "I truly missed you."  
"Karasu, that wound needs care." The violet eyes were bright with concern. So, the kit cared for him still. Lovely. "Let me see it." Her fingers were gentle as she washed the blood from a deep gash in the youkai's back and shoulder. "Oh, Kami, love..." she whispered without thinking. The cut was rather deep. "How did this happen?"  
"I got careless with your precious Kurama."  
"Kurama? You're match isn't until next week. Why did you go after him?" She demanded angrily.  
"I wanted to test him." He grabbed her wrist and squeezed until his grip threatened to shatter the fragile bones. "Is that a problem, love?"  
"Karasu, you're hurting me." Her voice held only a twinge of fear, but it made him suddenly want her terribly.  
"I know. And you like it." He whispered huskily before pulling her towards him, holding her tight in his arms. Her bright, violet eyes were wide with anxiety. "You always liked it when I hurt you."  
"Karasu, please-"  
"Shhh... be still, Malina. Be still." He said, just before his lips crashed down onto hers with bruising force. She tried to break away, but one of his hands fisted in her hair, holding her head in place. When he bit her bottom lip and the tip of her tongue, making it bleed, she whimpered, and when his tongue forced its way into her mouth, to taste the crimson sweetness filling it, she moaned into the kiss. She wanted it too, he knew she did, and she wasn't going to fight him anymore. Her arms went around his neck as she kissed back, showing Karasu just how much she had missed him. 


End file.
